


Drowning

by glass0marbles



Series: Russian Roulette Universe (Viktuuri Mafia AU) [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Bad Things Happen Bingo, Character's Name Spelled as Viktor, Guns, M/M, Mafia AU, but like so minor he doesn't even have a name, implied/possible minor character death, no beta we die like willy-san, too many emotions, viktor-centric despite yuuri being the one getting shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-12 15:20:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29511693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glass0marbles/pseuds/glass0marbles
Summary: Viktor's plan to show Yuuri his true nature backfires when Yuuri unexpectedly shields him from a danger that didn't pose any threat to Viktor in the first place... or did it?Prompt fill for the Bad Things Happen Bingo on Tumblr: taking the bullet
Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov
Series: Russian Roulette Universe (Viktuuri Mafia AU) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2167926
Comments: 8
Kudos: 35
Collections: Bad Things Happen Bingo





	Drowning

**Author's Note:**

> For Ace
> 
> This is a prompt fill for the Bad Things Happen Bingo on Tumblr. Nihidea-art on Tumblr asked for 'taking the bullet' for Viktuuri and I was happy to oblige.
> 
> This story is set in an alternate universe of my own, the synopsis of which is:
> 
> _Viktor Nikiforov is a member of the mob whose luck never seems to run out. Bullets miss him, he escapes altercations with barely a scratch and the cops always show up late when a job goes sideways. At this point it's become a game for him to put himself in increasingly dangerous situations to tempt the good fortune he neither deserves nor ever asked for._
> 
> _In a strange city far away from home, Yuuri Katsuki gets tangled up in the world of organised crime while trying to pay off his family's debt which he feels responsible for. Trapped in a net of violence and illicit dealings, he is surprised when he learns that the city's most notorious gangster isn't quite what he appears to be on the outside._
> 
> I'm not sure yet if this will be an actual part of the AUs timeline or not, but it was a great exercise to get a bit more familiar with the setting.
> 
> One last thing before you dive into this: Viktor is an unreliable narrator, his views on Yuuri are influenced by his own skewed perception of himself and people around him. Take everything said about either of them with a grain of salt.
> 
> Enjoy!

Viktor stares down the barrel of the gun without a shred of worry on his carefully schooled features. The man standing a few metres in front of him is shaking, his aim unsteady. Even as he leers at Viktor triumphantly his eye is twitching nervously, sweat visibly running down his forehead.

He knows the rumours, he's heard of the invincible Viktor Nikiforov, but he's backed into a corner with nowhere to run, his gun his only means of defence against who's more of an urban legend than an actual person to him. He's counting on the close quarters, is hyping himself up with the thought of taking out someone so powerful, the power it might gain him if he does. As if he stands a chance.

It's a pathetic display that Viktor is well accustomed to and it doesn't give him any satisfaction. He's long since lost the sense of superiority and the thrill these situations sent pumping through his body, he feels nothing but a hollow ache and the wish to get this over with, finish collecting what he came for and drink himself into oblivion so that he doesn't have to consciously live with who --  _ what _ he is for at least a few hours.

There's the rustle of clothing and a shaky inhale behind him and he remembers that he's not alone. Yuuri is with him, a bright young man who is as out of place here as Viktor would be at a children's birthday party. Yuuri, who has seen a side of him that he had never intended to show to anyone, who instead of ridiculing or looking down on him had shown a strange compassion even for someone like Viktor.

The reason he's here is as cowardly as it is cruel, on Viktor's part. He wants to show Yuuri who he's dealing with, show him that any pity or compassion on a monster like him is wasted. He wants him to run and not look back, to not waste another thought on Viktor that isn't of apallment and disgust. He doesn't want Yuuri to be afraid of him, that's not it, but if that's what it takes to preserve his own dignity and Yuuri's naive innocence, he'll take it. He's seen enough disillusionment in his time, enough kindness turn into bitterness, and for some reason he doesn't want to see it happen to Yuuri. He shouldn't care, but he does, and he doesn't want to think about why that is, he's not ready to go there and he never will be, it's better to shut irrational emotions like that away so deep down within himself that they may never resurface.

Viktor takes a step towards the gunman who flinches as if Viktor is the one pointing a gun at  _ him _ .

‘Stand back!’ he demands with false bravado.

Viktor takes another step forward instead.

A shot rings out, and suddenly Viktor finds himself on the ground, pain flaring in his shoulder where it connected with the rough asphalt and a disorienting weight on top of him. He can’t process what happened at first, his body almost moves on his own as he pushes the weight off of him and jumps to his feet and at the man who just fired and is now staring at him wide-eyed and white as a sheet, trembling harder than he was before. The gun limply hangs from his hands and Viktor makes a lunge for it. The fear-struck man doesn’t even try to evade him and Viktor yanks the gun from him, kicking him against a wall with enough force that he’s sure he feels bones breaking beneath his foot on the impact and bringing the handle of the gun down on his head hard. The man crumples to the ground where he remains motionless. Viktor doesn’t know if he’s dead or just unconscious and he doesn’t care because where usually the dull pressure of self-loathing would constrict his chest after threatening someone or taking a life, something much, much worse is starting to make itself known.

Viktor’s heart hammers against his ribcage with a force and speed that is taking his breath away as he whirls around and his eyes land on another figure collapsed on the ground in front of him, blood already soaking the jacket on his back where the bullet has hit him.

Viktor drops down on his knees next to Yuuri, the gun sliding from his grasp as he reaches out for Yuuri’s shoulder with a trembling hand.

This isn’t how this was supposed to go. Regret and guilt burn through Viktor’s chest like acid searing with a heat that he doesn’t feel in his clammy fingers as he turns Yuuri on his side, expecting the worst.

Somehow this feels so much worse, it hurts so much more than all the lives Viktor has taken deliberately.

Yuuri groans in pain when Viktor moves him, his eyes are shut tight, but he blinks them open at Viktor’s sharp intake of breath and looks up at him somewhat dazedly, as if he’s as confused by what just happened as Viktor is.

  
  


‘Are you trying to get yourself killed?!’ Viktor blurts, harsher and more loudly than he has spoken in years. His voice cracks on the words in an unfamiliar way.

Yuuri blinks slowly, drawing together his brows in an attempt at a glare, but it’s softened and contorted by pain and blood loss.

‘Are you?’ He rasps.

Viktor gapes at him.

‘It wouldn’t have hit me!’ he yells. ‘You idiot, you absolute idiot, why would you do something so  _ stupid _ ?’ Viktor is livid now, with anger, with fear, with relief, it all blends together into a surge of emotion that’s too strong for him to keep in, it breaks through his composure and spills through the cracks like churning water, carrying his sense of self with it into a raging sea that he’s sure to drown in.

‘It might have hit you.’ he says quietly.

Viktor flails in the sea of emotion, struggling against the waves that try to swallow him up. What Yuuri is saying is illogical in more ways than one, and Viktor can’t wrap his head around it.

‘What of it?’ he snaps. ‘You don’t even know me! Why would you care?’

Yuuri doesn’t reply to that, he just stares at Viktor dumbfounded, like he doesn’t know the answer to that question himself, and Viktor stares back.

Yuuri winces and groans again, and Viktor’s eyes are drawn to where the blood from his wound has soaked through to his shoulder now. It’s a painful reality check and it jolts him back into action. It’s not like Yuuri is dying in his arms, not yet, and there are things Viktor can and  _ needs _ to do to ensure his survival.

He takes off his own jacket and pulls his phone and wallet out of the pockets before bunching it up and pressing it against Yuuri’s back to staunch the bleeding.

Yuuri makes a sound between a gasp and a whimper and tries to push away from Viktor, but Viktor doesn’t even so much as flinch and keeps the pressure steady, autopilot kicking in and pushing his reeling mind and treacherous body into the background in favour of going through the motions of basic first aid. He uses one arm to press Yuuri and the bunched-up piece of clothing to him with as much strength as he can muster, while he uses his other hand to pick up his phone and dial the number of the driver who should be waiting nearby.

It doesn’t take him long to arrive after Viktor briefly explains the situation to him, leaving out the details of just how and why Yuuri got shot, and he helps him bundle Yuuri into the back of the car.

Viktor stays behind as the car rushes off to the nearest hospital. He said it’s to arrange clean-up of the scene, but really he just can’t stand looking at Yuuri for even a second longer. His hands are covered in his blood and they are shaking again when Viktor looks down at them. He makes two more calls before making his way home through back-alleys and abandoned lots.

  
He washes up and disposes of his clothes as quickly as possible before pouring himself a drink that he gulps down within seconds, and then another one. He knows he can’t keep running from himself and what happened today forever, but just for now, he doesn’t want to think about it. He doesn’t want to _ feel _ . There are enough miserable days still to come.

**Author's Note:**

> This is also not a guide for providing proper first aid to gunshot victims, please educate yourselves with reliable sources and excuse my inaccuraccies. (-': T'is just an angsty piece of fiction for entertainment purposes and not meant to be anything else.
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> You can find me on Tumblr as @glass0marbles to yell at me, ask me stuff or send in prompts of your own.
> 
> I'm not the best at replying to comments, but I appreciate each and every one of them and they motivate me to keep creating. ♡


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